Self-contained absorption gas charger for liquids

ABSTRACT

A pressuretight receptacle contains the water or other liquid to be saturated with gas, such as carbon dioxide gas supplied to it from a conventional carbon dioxide cylinder, through an elongated capillary tube leading to a porous sintered powdered metal diffuser which creates a myriad of small bubbles of the gas which, passing upward through the liquid, saturates the liquid with gas. The elongated capillary tube retards the flow of gas to the diffuser and thereby prevents the gas bubbles from being discharged therefrom too rapidly for the liquid to absorb them. The surplus gas not absorbed by the liquid collects in the top space above the liquid level and serves as a pressurized chamber to dispense the carbonated liquid through a dispensing pipe leading to the bottom of the receptacle. The diffuser is supported by a pipe through which the capillary tube extends and is protected thereby.

United States Patent 2,805,846 9/1957 Dewan (26 l/Carb.)

ABSTRACT: A pressuretight receptacle contains the water or other liquidto be saturated with gas, such as carbon dioxide gas supplied to it froma conventional carbon dioxide cylinder, through an elongated capillarytube leading to a porous sintered powdered metal diffuser which createsa myriad of small bubbles of the gas which, passing upward through theliquid, saturates the liquid with gas. The elongated capillary tuberetards the flow of gas to the diffuser and thereby prevents the gasbubbles from being discharged therefrom too rapidly for the liquid toabsorb them. The surplus gas not absorbed by the liquid collects in thetop space above the liquid level and serves as a pressurized chamber todispense the carbonated liquid through a dispensing pipe leading to thebottom of the receptacle. The diffuser is supported by a pipe throughwhich the capillary tube extends and is protected thereby.

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I l l l l I I l I l l l l l l l l Patented May 11, 1971 3,578,295

42 FIG, l 40 Emma l7, /5 /5 l7 Kalli! fll rd? i 2 0" n I8 30 3 x Z4 0 aa I I) 4"? o I u o u I u a 0 52 u u o a o d v u o O I p N o 3 y n u a 66,t it-r-r-- a J w 72 70 k mvsm'on JAMES L. HUDSON ATTORNEYSSELF-CONTAINED ABSORPTION GAS CHARGER FOR LIQUIDS BACKGROU ND OF TH EINVENTION Hitherto, carbonators have been made with the incoming gasflow attemptedly retarded by the use of a disc or aplug with a tiny holehaving a diameter of the order of 0.0 l inches. Such a flow-retardinghole 47 in a plug 46 is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the Coleman Pat. US.Pat. No. 2,250,295 ofluly 2i, 1941 for Carbonating Apparatus." A hole ofthis small diameter was found necessary in order to give a satisfactoryretardation of flow, yet it was so tiny that it constantly wasobstructed by foreign matter, causing the carbonator to becomeinoperative. Furthermore, the drilling of such small holes in thestainless steel necessary to avoid corrosion caused frequent breakage ofthe tiny drills needed, and consequently entailed an excessively highcost for each plug or disc. The present invention overcomes thisdifficulty by providing an elongated small bore tube which, although ithas twice the internal diameter as the plug, nevertheless givessatisfactory flow retardation yet is free from becoming obstructed likethe plug or disc.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a central vertical section through a self-contained absorptiongas charger for liquids, according to one form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the gas charger shown in HO. 1; and

HO. 3 is a cross section taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, FIG. 1 shows a self-containedabsorption gas charger for liquids, generally designated 10, accordingto one form of the invention as consisting of an elongated pressuretightliquid receptacle 12 preferably of stainless steel or othercorrosion-resisting and stain-resisting metal. The top wall 20 of thereceptacle [2 is provided with an oval liquid filling opening 14 whichreceives an oval closure member 16 containing an O-ring 18 clampedupward against the inner edge of the opening 14 by a double-arm bentclamping lever pivotally mounted in bearing bosses 17 on the top of theclosure member l6. A handle 22 connected at its opposite ends to the topwall of the receptacle l2 enhances handling of the gas charger 10. Theclosure member 16 is centrally bored at 23 to receive a so-called purgecock 24 having a handle 26 which, when pulled upward to uncover the port28 in the purge cock body 30 releases any accumulated gas in the upperchamber 32 above the level 34 of the liquid L in the receptacle 12.

The liquid receptacle 12 at opposite sides of the top 20 thereof isprovided with tubular inlet and outlet bosses 36 and 38 respectivelyprovided with quick-disconnect gas inlet and gas-charged liquid outletcouplings 40 and 42 for incoming gas and outgoing ga-charged liquidrespectively. The quickdisconnect couplings 40 and 42 are conventionaland available on the open market, and are of such nature that pullingupward on either of the clamping rings 44 or 46 enables the coupling 49or 42 to be immediately disconnected from its particular boss 36 or 38.The tubular bosses 36 and 38 communicate with ports 48 and 50 in thedome-shaped top 20 of the receptacle l2. Extending downward within thebosses 36 and 38 and secured thereto are vertical pipes 52 and 54respectively tenninating near the bottom wall 56 of the receptacle 12.The latter is conveniently of a S-gallon capacity which renders itportable and has a cylindrical sidewall 58 connecting the bottom wall 56to the dome-shaped top wall 20. The pipe 54 serves as a gas-chargedliquid-dispensing or discharge pipe.

The pipe 52 serves as an elongated diffuser support to carry a gasdiffuser, generally designated 60, and also as a protective housing foran elongated metering small bore or capillary tube 62-leading to thediffuser 60. The capillary or gas-flow'retardation tube 62 has a lengthof about 18 inches and an internal diameter of about 0.035 inches toimpart proper retardation to the gas, such as carbon dioxide, flowingdownward from the quick-disconnect gas coupling 40 so that it does notexcept at too high a speed and pressure from the minute pores of thediffuser 60. The capillary tube 62 at its upper end is supported in themouth of the tubular boss 36 by a closure plug 64 which prevents theincoming gas from passing directly down through pipe 52 and forces it totraverse the capillary tube 62.

The diffuser 60 consists of an annular inwardly flanged body 66 with abottom closure plate 68 through a hole 70 in which the capillary tube 62passes in a pressuretight connection to discharge into a diffuser gaschamber 72 beneath a minutely porous diffuser disc or plate 74. Thelatter is preferably formed of finely divided sintered powdered metal,such as stainless steel, through the minute pores of which the gaspasses upward in a myriad of tiny bubbles. The pores are of the order of5 microns in size, where a micron equals 1/25400 inch or 0.0000394 inch.An O-ring 76 prevents undesired leakage of gas. The diffuser body 66 hasa radially-projecting boss 78 (FIGS. 1 and 3) which is bored verticallyat 80 to snugly receive the lower end of the pipe 52 to which it isclamped by the setscrew 82.

In connection with the operation of the invention as an absorptioncarbonator, there are four principle factors in carbonating water: lagitation or the mixing of water and gas by stirring the water in thegas atmosphere; (2) the pressure of the gas within the receptacle; (3)the temperature of the liquid, such as water, to be saturated with gas,since cold water has a strong affinity for absorbing carbon dioxide gas;and (4) the length of time during which carbonation is conducted. In thepresent invention there are no moving parts and hence no agitation orother mechanism, and the carbonation takes place entirely by absorption.

In the operation of the invention, if the device has been previouslyused, the operator first pulls upward on the handle 26 of the purge cock24 to release any gas remaining in the upper chamber 32. He then removesthe closure member 16, fills the receptacle 12 with the liquid to be gascharged, and then replaces the closure member 16. The liquid to be gascharged with carbon dioxide, for example, may consist of water, beer,wine or premixed water and flavored syrups such as are used for softdrinks, leaving a space of about 2 inches for the top gas chamber 32.The operator then connects the outlet coupling 42 to a faucet, fountainconnection or other means of dispensing the gas-charged liquid. Finally,the operator connects the gas coupling 40 to a gas cylinder (not shown)through a suitable conventional pressure regulator (not shown) set at 50to 75 pounds per square inch. When the gas valve (not shown) is opened,gas flows through the gas intake coupling 40 downward through thecapillary or flow-retardation tube 62 where its speed of flow is greatlyretarded before it is discharged into the diffuser chamber 72, whence itpasses upward through the microscopic pores in the diffuser disc 74,emerging in the form of an enormous number and continuous stream of verytiny bubbles. These bubbles make their way upward through the liquid Lin the receptacle 12, most of them being absorbed before they reach thetop chamber 32 beneath the top wall 29 of the receptacle 12. The gasflow is so regulated through the elongated metering capillary tube 62that 5 to 10 minutes is required to raise the gas pressure in the topchamber 32 to that set on the input pressure regulator (not shown)mentioned above. During this time period, a continu ous slow feeding oftiny gas bubbles through the liquid L produces, as shown by experience,a carbonation of 3 k to 4 volumes of carbonation by the time the gasflow is halted by g the equalization of the pressure in the top chamber32 to that set on the input pressure regulator.

Carbonated liquid, such as soda water, is withdrawn through the gasoutlet coupling 42as the liquid is dispensed,

Since this carbonator is self-contained without requiring any externalpower and without any moving parts, with the sole connection requiredbeing. to the gas cylinder and the dispensing nozzle or faucetrespectively, the carbonator is inexpensive to manufacture, completelyportable and thus can be carried in vehicles on boats, to picnics, atthe pool side, to banquets, small group parties or family gatherings ina patio without requiring any experience or skill to operate itv 1claim:

l. A self-contained absorption gas charger for liquids, comprising:

a vertically disposed receptacle having near the top thereof a gas inletconnection and a gas-charged-liquid outlet connection adapted to beconnected to a source of compressed gas and to a gas charged-liquiddispensing device respectively,

said receptacle also having a closable liquid filling open ing therein,

a gas diffuser disposed in said receptacle near the bottom thereof,

said diffuser including a diffuser plate of minutely porous sinteredpowdered metal having a diffuser chamber adjacent thereto,

an elongated diffuser support extending downward from the upper portionof said receptacle to said diffuser, said diffuser being secured to saiddiffuser support,

' an elongated small-bore gas-flow-retardation tube extending from saidgas inlet connection to said diffuser and communicating with saiddiffuser chamber, said tube being small enough to substantially retardand control gas flow, and gas-charged-liquid discharge pipe extendingfrom a location near the bottom of said receptacle to saidgascharged-liquid outlet connection.

2. A self-contained absorption gas charger for liquids, according toclaim 1, wherein said gas-flow-retardation tube has an internal diameternot exceeding thirty-five thousandths of an inch.

3. A self-contained absorption gas charger for liquids, according toclaim 2, wherein the length of said tube is approximately 18 inches.

4. A self-contained absorption gas charger for liquids, according toclaim I, wherein said diffuser support is connected to said receptaclenear said gas inlet connection, and wherein said gas-flow-retardationtube extends downward adjacent said diffuser support.

5. A self-contained absorption gas charger for liquids, according toclaim 1, wherein said diffuser support consist of a pipe connected tosaid receptacle near said gas inlet connection, and wherein saidgas-flow-retardation tube extends downward inside said pipe.

- 6. A self-contained absorption gas charger for liquids, according toclaim 5, wherein said diffuser has a bored portion at one side thereof,and wherein the lower end portion of said pipe is secured in said boredportion.

7. A self-contained absorptiongas charger for liquids, according toclaim 1, wherein said diffuser has pores therein of a size approximating5 microns.

2. A self-contained absorption gas charger for liquids, according toclaim 1, wherein said gas-flow-retardation tube has an internal diameternot exceeding thirty-five thousandths of an inch.
 3. A self-containedabsorption gas charger for liquids, according to claim 2, wherein thelength of said tube is approximately 18 inches.
 4. A self-containedabsorption gas charger for liquids, according to claim 1, wherein saiddiffuser support is connected to said receptacle near said gas inletconnection, and wherein said gas-flow-retardation tube extends downwardadjacent said diffuser support.
 5. A self-contained absorption gascharger for liquids, according to claim 1, wherein said diffuser supportconsist of a pipe connected to said receptacle near said gas inletconnection, and wherein said gas-flow-retardation tube extends downwardinside said pipe.
 6. A self-contained absorption gas charger forliquids, according to claim 5, wherein said diffuser has a bored portionat one side thereof, and wherein the lower end portion of said pipe issecured in said bored portion.
 7. A self-contained absorption gascharger for liquids, according to claim 1, wherein said diffuser haspores therein of a size approximating 5 microns.